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The Australian share market is expected to open higher on the first day of the new financial year, while Wall Street posted its best June figures in generations.

If interest rates are going to be lower for longer, retirees need to weigh up the benefits of equities versus bonds as sources of income, says Ausbil's Paul Xiradis. 

Just because you're a self-directed investor doesn't mean you need to take an inferior approach, with plenty of new technologies, investor information and other tools now at your disposal.

These strategies can help investors who are either approaching retirement or already retired and don't want to spend hours each week monitoring their investments.

The Australian share market is expected to open lower as investors await a meeting between the US and Chinese leaders at the G20 summit in Japan.\n 

Each of these exchange-traded funds take a slightly different slant on listed real estate investment trusts, three of them focusing on Australia and one tracking global REITs. 

It's easy to see why investors traditionally favour their home markets, but the proliferation of different investment vehicles at lower price points makes it easier than ever to avoid this trap.

Gold is commonly viewed as the ultimate safe-haven asset, but there are different ways of getting exposure beyond buying bullion and some potential traps to be aware of.

As Woodford Equity Income suspends fund withdrawals, Morningstar's UK director of manager research Jonathan Miller tells senior editor Holly Black what it means for investors.

The Australian share market is expected to open lower after a mixed result on Wall Street overnight.\n 

We know investors are always hungry for investing tips, including information about exchange-traded funds, so these 10 timeless tips are worth revisiting.

Investing to help children or grandchildren get a headstart on future education expenses can be a good idea, but make sure you consider the pros and cons of the different options.

Some of Australia's largest providers of exchange-traded products are slashing fees as the battle for market share rages on.

With the spotlight on illiquid assets and unquoted companies as the Woodford Equity Income fund remains suspended, Morningstar senior editor Holly Black talks to fund analyst David Holder about illiquid assets.

The Australian share market is expected to open lower after losses on Wall Street overnight.\n 

Taking stock of your assets and liabilities can yield valuable intelligence about your financial health, writes Morningstar director of personal finance Christine Benz.

Rising living costs and income inequality sit on one side, and changing living standards on the other in this debate about boosting the minimum superannuation contributions rate. 

There's a fundamental reason for the diversification feature of bonds, but there are some risks to be aware of and you need to differentiate between government and corporate bonds.

Articles on planning  for your aged care needs, end of financial year tips and insights on the Woodford funds train wreck topped our most-read list last week.

The Australian share market is expected to open lower after a mixed lead from Wall Street overnight.

Social media network Facebook has announced plans to launch a cryptocurrency in 2020 – does that change the investment case for the stock?

Individual investors wanting some exposure to Australian technology firms Wisetech, Altium, Appen, Afterpay Touch and Xero without buying their shares directly could consider one or more fund managers.

Morningstar's Portfolio Construction Guide helps you, the investor, put goals-based investing into practice, as explained by our individual investor product manager Mark LaMonica.

The Australian share market is tipped to start the trading week lower, thanks to weak lead-ins from the US and Europe, as the Dow Jones slipped 34 points on Friday.

In response to the Reserve Bank of Australia's historic cut in interest rates earlier this month, a downcast Emma Rapaport considers the various cash investment options available.

In part 2 of Morningstar's analysis of what went wrong at UK fund manager Woodford, we consider whether it could happen in Australia.

The Australian share market is expected to open flat, while Wall Street finished higher overnight as the S&P 500 posted a new record.

Neil Woodford's fall from grace holds lessons for Australian investors. 

A small collection of large companies, such as Google and Facebook, wield too much influence on economies and wages, says the International Monetary Fund in a new report.

Many Australians are failing to plan for the healthcare costs they will almost certainly face in their later years.

The Australian share market is expected to open slightly higher after a positive lead from overseas, as Wall Street reacted positively to the Fed's hold on interest rates.

An online seminar viewer recently asked Morningstar's Jon Hale whether it's really worth avoiding environmentally irresponsible or unethical companies, if those shares will ultimately be owned by someone else anyway. 

Kera Van Valen and her team identify global companies with free cash-flow that regularly return profits via dividends, share buybacks and debt reduction, with Target a recent portfolio addition.

Australia’s ageing population will allow annuity provider Challenger to ride out a shorter-term profit hit, even as it suffers fall-out from the banking royal commission and declining interest rates, says Morningstar.

The Australian share market is expected to open higher, after a positive lead from Wall Street following indications of easing Chinese-US trade tensions.

Global equities will continue to deliver good investment returns despite warning signs of a US recession, says Fidelity's Anthony Doyle.

Neither cash, infrastructure funds or even corporate bonds provide investors with true underlying defensive structures during peak market stress, warns Colchester’s Keith Lloyd.

AGL's sudden reversal of its $3 billion Vocus bid marks the fourth aborted acquisition inside two years, raising serious questions about the telco's books, say Morningstar analysts.

The Australian share market is expected to open flat, despite gains on Wall Street overnight.

The risk of financial mistakes and fraud rise exponentially among individuals experiencing cognitive decline, but there are ways to minimise your financial vulnerability.

Make the most of another financial year-end with these top tips on reviewing your investment portfolio, including avoiding the ATO's wash sale crackdown.

Articles about potential ETF investing pitfalls, tax-time super strategies and a potential threat to SMSF life insurance arrangements were among our most-read last week.

The Australian share market is expected to open slightly higher, even after Wall Street closed lower on Friday amid continued nervousness over the US-China trade war.

From the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, Morningstar director of investor education Karen Wallace reveals how Buffet benefited from sniffing out companies with competitive advantages.

Investors are prone to sticking to equities in their own country but many of the historical arguments for home bias no longer hold water, argues Morningstar director of global ETF research Ben Johnson.

A storm is brewing over the holdings of impact investing funds, writes Emma Rapaport.

Investing in stocks with unpredictable cash flows when they’re trading at nosebleed valuations is a recipe for failure, writes Susan Dziubinski.

Amid uncertainty around trade policies and global growth concerns, parts of Australia’s equity market still appeal as do Japan stocks and some domestic credit vehicles, says Schroders’ Australia head of multi-asset.

SMSFs have long been prone to a strong home market bias, but adding a blend of funds can add diversification without blowing out costs or risk, says PineBridge’s Hani Redha.

The ASX is expected to open higher after a positive lead from Wall Street, which ended two days of declines after energy shares rebounded following suspected oil tanker attacks in the Middle East.

The end of financial year is looming but it’s not too late to put in place some smart superannuation strategies before 30 June to help reduce tax liabilities.

The ASX is expected to open flat ahead of new unemployment data, while Wall Street declined slightly overnight as banks priced the prospect of a rate cut.

AGL Energy's $3 billion tilt at Vocus is a questionable move, but one which holds potential upside for shareholders of the corporate telco, say Morningstar analysts.

The life insurance of self-managed super fund trustees who have opened APRA-regulated super funds to access this protection could be under threat, warns the SMSF Association.

A small list of US stocks that might appeal to one of the world's best-known investors Warren Buffett, and a cautionary tale about over-reacting to market forecasts ranked among our top stories last week.

The Australian share market is expected to open slightly higher today, with SPI200 futures up 12 points, or 0.18 per cent at 8am, despite Wall Street finishing flat overnight.

One of Australia’s most successful professional investors, Hamish Douglass, explains how behavioural biases can harm your portfolio, and why he chose to launch an exchange-traded managed fund.

The Australian share market is expected to open higher after US stocks continued to climb on Monday, boosted by the administration's reversal of plans to impose tariffs on Mexican goods 

Global stock picker Jacob Mitchell explains how investors can get exposure to consumer staples, and why he currently favours emerging markets and parts of Europe.

Trade tensions between the US and China are affecting Australian miners and oil and gas players in different ways, writes Nicki Bourlioufas.

A little bit of planning can help you quickly and painlessly establish a nest egg.

The Australian share market is expected to open higher after a positive lead from Wall Street and optimism over a mooted delay to tariffs on Mexican imports.

Screened against some of his famous investing criteria, these US-listed companies might attract Warren Buffett's interest if he was still able to consider small-cap stocks with rapid earnings growth.

Morningstar Investment Management analysts explain why they prefer emerging market investment opportunities in Europe and Asia, and why investors must be cautiously selective.

Morningstar equity analyst Seth Goldstein explains why he sees significant upside for Compass Minerals.

The Australian share market is expected to open higher after a positive lead from overseas as investors bet on a Fed rate cut.

The stellar run of the WAAAX stocks is resetting the valuation rules – and worrying some asset managers.

Some investors could be worse off if they acted early on fears about Labor's franking credit policy, says super industry expert Phil La Greca.

Australian car parts specialists Bapcor has forged a place in Morningstar’s global equity best ideas list alongside global tech giants CenturyLink and Sabre Corp.

The Australian share market is expected to open higher after stocks rallied on Wall Street overnight as Fed chairman Jerome Powell hinted trade tensions may force a possible rate cut.

The Reserve Bank has cut the official cash rate to 1.25pc, the first move since they were cut to a previous record low of 1.5pc in August 2016.

Sean Martin tells Morningstar why it’s time to rethink the fortunes of two pillars of the ASX.

A small list of US stocks that might appeal to one of the world's best-known investors Warren Buffett, and a cautionary tale about over-reacting to market forecasts ranked among our top stories last week.

There are fundamental differences in the way income is drawn from listed investment companies versus managed funds, explains Morningstar's Andrew Miles.

The Australian share market is expected to open higher despite a mixed lead from Wall Street and a fall on the Nasdaq as tech giants face an regulatory pressure.

The escalating US-China tariffs row is a 'double-edged sword' for Australian companies doing business with the world’s two superpowers, says Morningstar.

Investor demand is just one of several reasons more fund managers are assessing companies against environmental, sustainability and governance criteria.

An increased allocation to this asset class can offer diversification and returns as long as you keep the risks front of mind, writes Nicki Bourlioufas.

The Australian share market is expected to open lower after losses on Wall Street at the end of last week.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is set to deliver an interest rate cut this week, with the key question then how many more reductions will follow.